Getting Reacquainted with the Family
by Uniasus
Summary: Suddenly finding yourself part of a family is a little overwhelming after 300 years of going without.
1. First Christmas

Getting Reacquainted with the Family

_By Uniasus_

**Chapter 1 – First Christmas**

* * *

Jack had never been one for holidays.

He supposed, if he really thought about it, it went back to those three hundred years before he meet the Guardians. Well, before he liked the Guardians. Because watching all the children prepare and get excited for a holiday, all for the chance of maybe catching a glimpse of a spirit who was in the area for only a second while Jack was there all the time hurt. Because almost every other spirit he interacted with was connected with a holiday of some sort, even if they weren't its avatar. Because watching families together, around the dinner table or the Christmas tree or holding hands in Church or trick-or-treating or at Easter brunch or anywhere else just made him wonder even more if he ever had a family.

Well, he knew now. He did have a family, once upon a time. And he supposed the Guardians were one now. But you didn't get used to the long lost uncles and aunts all at once. It took time, time to get to know them and time to overcome the feeling of _you could have contacted me so much sooner but you didn't._

So when North asked Jack to help with Christmas he had to think it over.

Because he had spent three hundred years waiting for a Santa than never came, despite knowing he gave gifts to other spirits on a rotation. Because he never truly got a Christmas in all his spirit memory. No gifts from friends, no chestnuts roasting, no one to sing songs with. Because maybe if he said 'no', North would understand what it was like. Just a little.

But that was a mean thought, Jack thought to himself as he sat on the edge of Jamie's window sill waiting for the boy to come back from school. And he didn't do mean. He did fun. And well, riding in the sleigh would be fun. Maybe he'd pass on this year and but promise to help out next?

"Jack!"

Jack turned around to smile at Jamie, he'd been so deep into his thoughts that he hadn't heard the boy clomp up the stairs. Jamie seemed to notice something was up, and so after a greeting hug pointed a firm finger at the foot of the bed. Sighing, Jack obeyed. He climbed on to the mattress, but quickly shifted to perch on the footboard while Jamie settled against the headboard.

"So?" The eight year old. He was very perspective for his age. Jack wondered if it was a big brother thing.

"North wants me to ride in the sleigh at the end of the month. You know, bringing the snow and all that."

"Awesome! I love a white Christmas!"

"Well, I'd have given you one anyway."

They smiled at each other, but Jack found he couldn't keep it.

"What's wrong?" Jamie asked.

With a sigh, Jack jumped off the bed and began pacing the width of it, fiddling with his staff as he did so.

"Christmas wasn't very happy for me these past three hundred years. And I can't help but feel that part of that, most of that, was North's fault."

"Oh."

"But, I mean, after awhile I accepted it. I crashed lots of Christmas parties, not that anyone could see me. Made up a new game every year to play. Those were fun, and it was always wonderful watching kids play with their new toys. I got pretty good at guessing what each of the gifts were, and there was this one with icicles I still play sometimes. Oh! There was -"

Jack cut off as Jamie grabbed a hold of his wrist. The primary student had crawled down the bed to reach his friend.

"You're sad you never got a proper Christmas."

Jack slumped and pulled up his hood. "Yeah."

"Do you know why Santa never gave you a gift?"

"Apparently I hold the record for being on the Naughty List the longest." It was an achievement he felt a glum sort of pride in. And hey, at least he had been on Santa's radar.

"What about this year?"

"I think I'm on the Nice List, why else would North ask me to help?"

"To apologize?"

"Really?" The thought hadn't crossed Jack's mind. He figured North was just excited over the prospect of bringing children a more wondrous Christmas, even if the big guy had also said it would help with Jack's own belief base. Now that he was a Guardian, there were risks to not having believers and he was ever hovering on that border of losing his powers. Was it possible that, now that North knew Jack, he was regretting not including the younger spirit in the holiday just like Jack was reevaluating his opinion of North?

"Yeah! I'm sure Santa feels bad about all those years alone."

"Maybe."

"Still don't know what you're gonna tell him, do you?"

"No, but thanks for listening Jamie. You're good at that."

"Caleb and Claude tell me that all the time."

Jack ruffled Jamie's hair with a smile, dusting it with snowflakes.

"And hey, you do know that if you don't want to spend Christmas with North, you can come spend it with me right?"

"I do now. Thanks Jamie." Jack wrapped the boy up in a hug, hesitant to let him go but he didn't want to chill his friend. "Now come one. Let's go ice skating."

#####

In the end, Jack told North sure, he'd love to join him on Christmas Eve. Because, well, it's Christmas and Santa and a sleigh pulled by flying reindeer and Jack really can't brush aside his desire to not just have a Christmas, but participate in it. Thoughts about North are second fiddle to that.

Still, he felt pretty good when North beamed at his reply, clamped a large hand on his shoulder, and declared that they would have a good time.

Fun was his center. It wasn't like Jack wouldn't enjoy the happiness he brought others.

#####

When Christmas Eve morning came around Jack was perched on his staff, sucking on a peppermint while he watched the yeti make final adjustments to the sleigh and North was programing the last of the Nice List's children's houses in the mini Globe at the sleigh's front.

Jack couldn't help but smile at all the activity around him, from the elves tying bells on Vixen's antlers to North running on nervous, excited energy.

The wind surrounded him, back from another tour of the workshop. It whispered images to Jack's mind, of yeti placing the final bows on gifts and gently filling a red canvas sack. It reminded him of how his sister Olivia had acted around Christmas time, weaving holly wreaths and making maple syrup candies in the snow with joy and anticipation. Jack supposed that maybe this was the wind's first ever Christmas ever. It had always watched, like Jack had these past three hundred years, but this time through Jack it had the chance to be involved. With an affectionate ruffle of his hair, the wind gently took off to check out how things were going elsewhere.

"Ready to go Jack?"

North stood in front of him in full Christmas garb. His normal brown belly belt had been replaced with a green one and Jack could see small red stitching outlining holly leaves. His coat it the same, but the hat was now white and decorated with what Jack thought was pine needles. He looked like Santa Claus, but then he had always looked like that to Jack.

"It's it a bit early?"

"Tonight it long trip for reindeer. They need a proper warm up first."

"Alright then." Jack lept to the floor, swinging his staff up to rest over his shoulders at the same time, and made his way to the sleigh. The wind came and lifted him up to set him on a seat and then in it's excitement did the same the North. The big man floundered a bit when his feet left the floor, but his face was grinning by the time the wind set him down.

North sent him a questioning look, but Jack just shrugged. It wasn't like he had asked the wind to do that. "It's happy to help out this year," was all he said and North gave a nod.

As North took the reins, the yeti stepped back, some forcibly removing elves from the runway by their hats. "YA!" the Russian shouted with a rein crack and the sleigh lurched forward. Jack gave a whoop as they entered the first loop and North answered it with a belly laugh.

#####

They started in Uelen and the northeast tip of Russia. North parked the sleigh on the roof of a school and stepped out with the sack on his back. The wind had seen the yeti pack millions of presents in it, but it was roughly the same size as the sack of teeth North had collected around Easter last year. "I will go use chimneys and leave gifts, you will leave snow, yes?"

"Of course. Anything you say Santa." With a mock salute, Jack jumped off the back of the sleigh and the wind caught him.

Jack reveled in making snow as it was a new power for him. Cold and ice he'd always been able to do, but snow? Actual snow? That had only come after he had been inducted as a Guardian and gained believers. He wasn't entirely sure the other Guardians knew that. Bunny was still sore about the Blizzard of '68, but honestly that hadn't been Jack's fault. Bunny had just found him playing in it, blamed him, and not minding the attention Jack took the credit. It had been nice to think someone thought he had that amount of power, though really it was simply Mother Nature and Old Man Winter ganging up on Belenus. Still, now he had snow and he wasn't adverse to bringing it this night.

He finished before North did, and so set about making ice murals in the windows. He started with Christmas scenes, reindeer and snowmen and Santas, and then moved on to winter scenes, snow covered trees and ice skating and sleds, and when he ran out of those ideas alternated between large snowflakes and portraits of the Guardians. The wind put an image of North heading back to the sleigh in his mind and together they went to meet him. North's sack was the same size; magic of course Jack assumed.

"Place looks lovely Jack."

"Thanks." He said. Despite his misgivings about holiday spirits, any praise from North or the rarer form from Bunny makes his chest warm. North and Bunny are Guardians, family even if the tie is weak, and now he can remember his belief in their holiday forms from when he was alive. Having Santa Claus tell you you're a good boy means a lot more than when his mom used to say it or North on another day of the year.

North gave him a look that Jack couldn't figure out. Maybe proud, maybe regretful, or maybe just searching because Jack was pretty sure that just as he was coming to terms with his new family members North was doing the same without all the baggage.

"Especially loved the picture of Vixen. He is my most vain reindeer."

Jack laughed. "Well, what do you expect with a name like that?"

#####

They go down the coast of Russia and Jack noticed that the closer to the equator they go the less his frost and snow stayed. Sapporo only got a small dusting for the morning, and he was pretty sure the thin frost on windows in Taiwan will be gone come sun rise. Jack spent the extra time with the reindeer as North continues delivering toys. Despite the untamed show they put on every time they see the opening of the sleigh tunnel before them they are really quite tame. Donner loves being scratched behind the ear and Comet loves it under the chin. Vixen has a habit of nibbling on his hair like a goat, and trying to snap up the carrots Jack offers his brother and hitch partner Blitzen that North brings back from some of the houses. Cupid doesn't do much but stand at the front, ears pricked forward and ever waiting to take off again. Dixen, well, just flicks his little tail and sleeps. Doesn't even open his eyes to eat the snack North brings back.

Even though Jack likes the reindeer, he's happy when they're on the South Island of New Zealand and he can make snow that stays again.

#####

Their first bypass through the warm belt, that area between the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn Jack found he despised, it was quick because well, below them was only tiny little villages on islands and North simply dropped gifts from the sky that magically appeared under the trees in the homes. Jack got to hold the reins, which was immensity thrilling.

Malaysia was a different story. It was hot and humid, and they had to spend hours here because there were a ton of children. Jack was melting.

"I'm sorry Santa, I can't here." He was lying on the top most bench of the sleigh, greedily indulging in the small amount of a breeze the wind was whipping up for him. "I'll be up and going again once we're further north."

North gave him a pitying look and then reached into his sack to pull out a small box wrapped in paper with a motif of Santas dancing with penguins. "Was going to give this to you later, but maybe now is better?"

He placed the box on Jack's stomach and Jack can only stare dumbfounded at it as North went off to do his job.

A present. Jack had honestly not expected one. Secretly, after talking to Jamie, he had considered North's offer to join him tonight to be a present in part because he had never expected to be given something solid. A present. On his belly.

"Gifts are to be opened."

Jack looked up. North had returned and was about to send the reindeer on to the next location. He wanted to say something about just how much the box means to him, but old habits die hard. Jack did not share feelings, exposing them to Jamie is a rare thing that sometimes happen because the kid forces it out of him, but when interacting with others Jack has always made a habit of keeping up a certain image. A fun guy, who didn't mind his isolation, who always had a smile on his face and a way with humor. Especially self-deprecating and sarcastic.

"Too hot, my fingers aren't working properly. I'll open it in a little bit."

North chuckles and then when they're further north in Hong Kong, where the sun is still direct and Jack still doesn't feel like moving and he knows he can't make any snow but he does feel a little less lethargic, North refused to grab his sack and leave until Jack started to open the gift.

Jack took his time. It was his first present in three hundred years and he wanted to savor the moment. There could be anything under the paper and in the box it covers and Jack found that all the possibilities made him dizzy but also that he wasn't hoping for anything in particular. What would he do with a train set? Or a video game? Spirits don't have a need for material things very much.

But North is also Santa and Santa never gave a bad gift. He wasn't going to start with Jack.

Jack slowly slipped a finger under each crease of paper to release the tape on the ends and then shimmied the large silver bow and ribbon off the box. Jack spent a moment stroking the fabric, it felt like velvet, trying to figure out what to do with it. But then he remembered what the children did and with a smile Jack stuck the bow in his hair and tied the ribbon around his staff. That done, he ran his finger under one last seam and slowly pulled the paper off the box. He sent the box aside to carefully fold the paper, taking care to not rip it, and only then did he pull the box into his lap.

It wasn't fancy, just a simple wooden thing and it's maybe half the size of a loaf of sliced bread. Jack took a deep breath and the lifted off the lid.

Inside sat something deep blue and sliver, thin and smooth. Jack pulled it out with wonder, surprised to find it bigger than he expected it to be based on the size of the box. Arms extended in front of him to see it all, Jack decided it was a blanket. But it wasn't like others he had seen. It wasn't made of a warm fabric and while smooth it wasn't soft. It was a very strange blanket and Jack found himself confused by it. He never used them, more concerned with staying cold than keeping warm.

Still, it was a gift. Jack wrapped it around his shoulders and instead of the sudden rise of heat that he expected he feels colder, chilled, and all he can do is stare at the blanket in wonder.

He was still staring at it, running his hands over the fabric when North returned.

"Good, yes?"

Jack nodded. "I'm...how does it work?"

"Like a thermos. It keeps hot things hot and cold things cold."

It was like a door opened for him. "This is awesome! I'd never actually left the North Hemisphere before we went tooth collecting that one time, the tropics were too warm for me to travel through by myself but now I probably could and oh boy there's so many new places to explore!" Jack was vibrating with happiness next to North as the large Guardian snapped the reins and the reindeer took to the sky.

For just a moment, North drove one handed and used the other to ruffle Jack's hair. "Merry Christmas, Jack Frost."

"You too, Santa."

#####

They were in Africa when Jack showed North his talent for guessing gifts. It was hot, stifling outside of his new blanket, but he was still feeling up to lounging on Dixen's back while the team slowly walked across the sky to allow North to drop presents below to the small rural towns.

"This one?" The older Guardian asked, pulling out a package that was lumpy and tossing it to Jack. He poked and podded it, shook it, but never once peaked under that wrapping paper.

"It's a rug," he said, tossing it back to Santa. "One of those with a city plan on it so he can drive his cars through streets and past buildings."

North didn't say Jack was right, he had stopped confirming every right guess after twenty. And that was maybe a couple hundred ago. Now, the big guy just accepted each right answer with a confused look on his face. Instead of tossing gifts to Jack in a guessing game where North would have the advantage, North was trying to see if Jack was using some type of magic to guess correctly or had other means of knowing. He had a frown on his face the entire time.

Eventually as they crossed out of the tropic belt and into southern Africa, he out right asked.

"How do you know what is each present is?"

Jack shrugged, relocating from Dixen's back to sit astride Donner's. "Years of practice. I use to shake them all, make a guess, and then watch the kids open them Christmas morning. Stopped being as fun though being right all the time. I mean, winning all the time isn't very enjoyable."

There was a heavy silence from behind him, but Jack ignored it, hanging on to Donner's neck at the sleigh sped up.

#####

When they hit the Burgess, Jack goes all out. He had promised Jamie a white Christmas, and what his friend is getting is a whole foot and a half of fresh snow. Jack also made sure to spend extra time on the frost mural on his friend's bedroom window. It's him and North and all six reindeer. After sharing his insecurities about this night, Jack figured he should give Jamie a sign that it was not as bad as it had seemed.

He was having a good time. Santa gave him a present. It didn't really make up for the Christmases he didn't have, nothing will make up those long periods of lonely holidays, but Jack knew he wouldn't have another one like them and he can't help but smile at the thought.

North took his time delivering presents, even though hitting the Americas means they are just past half way done and they didn't know if they had the time to spare, and Jack used those extra minutes to make sure the frost on the windows made the best images ever. He even had time to recreate the sleigh, complete with reindeer, using the roofs of cars.

#####

When they were on their way back to the North Pole, they were both fighting sleep. Jack had taken the reins, driving reindeer really wasn't that different from driving a horse and dray, leaving North to sit on a bench and nod off only to wake up every time one of the reindeer's' bells gave a louder than normal tinkle.

Some how, Jack felt the magic of the night vanishing. Santa was melting away with the daylight and all that was left was North. He knew, logically, they were one and the same, but on Christmas Jack couldn't let go of the fact that he really was an immortal child. And with this new day, Jack felt a little closer to North. He would make a point to visit the Pole more often, and actually seek out the Russian on more visits instead of just hanging with the yeti.

It was only because North was not fully awake that Jack spoke his thanks as the sleigh tunnel came into view. He wanted to say it since North first placed the present on his stomach in Malaysia, but it was wrapped up in feelings Jack didn't want to expose to his friend. Now though, with the occasionally snore from behind him, Jack felt safe enough to do it. North might not hear it, but Jack would have said it and that meant everything.

"Thanks, North. For inviting me to help you. And...and for the gift." He clutched it closer around him. Even though they were in the Arctic Circle, Jack was still wearing it. He suspected he'd be wearing it for days. "I haven't gotten one since I was human." There was a little bit of bitterness, at North for he was Santa and Jack was a child and even if he had been on the Naughty List Jack would have liked a piece of coal if only for the proof that he was real, and a bit of sadness too. He was glad North was asleep.

"Things are different now, and you guys are the reason. Thanks for that too."

There was a particularly loud snort from behind him and Jack looked over his shoulder to see North had fallen onto his side. He smiled at the sight, and made sure to fly the reindeer through the tunnel instead of having them run on the ice to prevent any flips that might cause North to fall out.

When Jack parked the sleigh, the yeti quickly stepped up to unharness them and lead them deeper into the tunnel where the stables were. Jack gently shook North's shoulder.

"Come on, big guy. You're home."

North woke up with a loud yawn and practically fell out of the sleigh.

"What you say Jack?" He asked, stumbling towards the lift. "Come and sleep, I have room for you, and then we can have Christmas dinner as family."

"I-" Jack stopped, halfway between the sleigh and the lift. He wanted to stay, oh he did. Christmas dinner, as a family. Him and North, maybe the other Guardians too. But tonight was a gift of Christmas magic and Jack didn't know if we would be able to handle more. He was not used to having someone to talk to and listen to him, to the point were anytime he was with someone else the conversation puttered out because Jack didn't truly know how to have one. The only reason this night hadn't gotten awkward was because their actions provided a catalyst for conversation and there was a lot of time where they hadn't been in eachother's company as they did their respective jobs.

Staying for Christmas Day and Christmas Dinner was asking for that social awkwardness, and he didn't want such a thing to ruin the holiday. It could ruin the wonderful Christmas Eve he just had.

"Maybe next year North, I'm sure you're tired of me after tonight. Besides, Jamie already asked and I said yes." And at Jamie's while it would be a celebration he could participate in, being only seen by two people meant that he wouldn't have to be on and engaged all the time. Jamie had to interact with his relatives too and Jack could just stand in a corner and feel happy Jamie had wanted to include him while Sophie played with her new stuffed rabbit near his feet.

North opened his mouth to say something and the look in his eyes, the one that is a bit pitying and regretful and sorrowful made Jack wonder if he had only been faking being asleep as the approached the Pole.

Jack hoped North would say okay, he understood, he had prior engagements. Because if North insisted Jack felt like he would have to make his 'no' more solid and that was not something he was looking forward too.

But North just nodded and went up to bed. "I will see you New Year's then. Tell Jamie and Sophie 'Merry Christmas' from me."

"Sure." Jack said, agreeing to both statements. Because, well, New Year's Day is his birthday of a sort, his birthday as Jack Frost, and he's tired of being depressed every year when it comes around. Because he does want to spend time with North, and get to know his new family, albeit a bit at a time.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for stopping by! This is story wasn't originally going to be connected to anything else, but then parts of The Big Three in the Life of Jack Frost slipped into later chapters. Not required, or even recommended reading, but there are allusions to it.

Reviews?


	2. Second Easter

Getting Reacquainted with the Family

_By Uniasus_

**Chapter 2 – Second Easter**

* * *

A few month before his first Easter as an official Guardian, Jack heard from the Groundhog that Bunny was looking for him. He guessed it had to do with Phil's prediction of six more weeks of winter, which Jack was thrilled about and couldn't wait to ensure it, but the talking rodent said no, it had to do with Easter and asking for help.

Jack didn't like the sound of that. Sure, he had enjoyed helping North for Christmas, but the last time he had helped with Easter was also the last time he had royally screwed up. It didn't help that every time he was in one of Bunny's tunnels he had flashbacks to them being filled with cracked eggs and that led to memories of Pitch dumping him there and that led to remembering Pitch's lair and his brief time there and those were not happy memories. He still hadn't explained to the Guardians what exactly happened that night, and thankfully they hadn't asked.

So no, he avoided areas Bunny hung around and stayed up in the north where the snow would deter his fellow Guardian and it worked. Bunny never found him to ask for his assistance, but when Jack was at Jamie's to help look for eggs in the morning the now nine-year-old gave him an Easter basket.

"I found two in my room when I woke up. But I'm pretty sure this one is yours."

Made from blue whicker, filled with fake snow instead of grass, and with a card attached that said his name, Jack couldn't argue with Jamie.

"Do you know why'd Bunny leave if for you here instead of your house?"

Jack laughed. "Jamie, I don't have a house. Not really. I consider Burgess as a whole as my home, and if I had to say one place more than others it would be the pond. And that's not exactly a good place to hide an Easter basket. I'm not there all the time."

"Where do you sleep?"

"I don't, not really. Just when it gets hot, so when summer comes I go to Greenland or Iceland or Northern Canada and spend a few hours, maybe a day in a snowbank, and then just hang out there and nap when I need to."

"That can't be comfortable."

Jack shrugged. "I'm used to it."

"Well, the Easter Bunny left your basket here and so now this is your house. You're welcome to use my bed whenever you want. Or the freezer in the garage during the summer."

The freezer would be cramped, of that Jack was sure, but...a house. Sharing a house with Jamie. Even if it was just a few years until he moved out and went to college.

"Thanks Jamie." He'd probably use the freezer just as often as the spare bed North has for him, that is very rarely, but it's the thought that counts.

#####

It was at Christmas Dinner with the Guardians that Bunny cornered him. He had been in a corner, admiring the gift North gave him, a music box this year and somehow the songs it played were from his memories, when the furry Guardian hopped over.

"North said you were a great help this year and last, mind lending me a hand this year too?"

Jack froze, staring at Bunny. Because he wants Jack's help enough to persist. Because Jack isn't entirely sure he wants to enter the Warren, he hasn't since that day.

He only said yes because the others were in hearing range and he didn't know what their reaction would be. "Finally admitting you need help from your betters, Cottontail?"

Bunny gave him a friendly cuff on the head and Jack smiled. "Admitting I need help is what makes me better than you."

Jack blinked, sure there was something in that comment about him that hinted at something. But Jack didn't know what and so he shrugged it off, looking back down at his music box. Bunny took the silent hint and walked off to grab a cup of eggnog.

All in all, it wasn't as awkward as Jack had been worried about last year. He supposed that having a group of people helped, he didn't have to carry a conversation for hours. And he had improved. Friends and family often talked about things that happened between the last time they saw each other. The Guardians always liked hearing about the kids he played with.

#####

Bunny found him in Seattle early March to follow up on his agreement to help with Easter. Jack briefly thought about saying no, but he has never been a person to back down from something he said he'd do.

If Bunny noticed how tense he was as they traveled through the tunnels to the Warren, he didn't say anything and for that Jack was thankful.

"So, how can I help?" Jack asked once they were in the green meadow at the start of the Warren. "I don't see any eggs around that need painting."

"The flowers aren't bloomin' yet. The googies will start showin' up two weeks before Easter. Nah, today I want your help with the chocolate."

"Chocolate?"

"I'm a bit behind schedule, and one of the things that takes the longest is waitin' for the chocolate to solidify in the molds. It's usually a day or two. I was hopin' you could speed it up a bit."

"Sure."

He destroyed the first three batches, freezing them too quickly and messing up the chocolate. Bunny declared them unfit for Easter baskets; Jack thought they were perfect as he munched on them, ice and all. He did feel bad for ruining the candy, it meant Bunny had to spend time on remaking chocolate, but the furry Guardian told Jack that with all the time he was saving with correctly cooled molded chocolate that he had that time to spare.

Jack found himself in the Warren every other day or so, hardening more chocolate or weaving wicker baskets. Apparently Bunny made all of the ones he hid for children in their rooms, and Jack was starting to think Easter was a bigger chore than Christmas. North only left one or two gifts per child. Bunny left baskets hidden in the house, and then also spread eggs around outside for the children to hunt for in parks and backyards. He supposed it helped that the eggs had legs and could hide themselves.

When the egg flowers bloomed and started producing eggs Jack found himself not leaving a grassy knoll near a selection of small dye springs for days. He would grab any white egg waddling past him and do his best to paint it before setting it down and grabbing another. Jack was no stranger to art, but his medium was frost and a paintbrush and paint worked differently. He couldn't get the images in his mind properly on the eggs and quickly reverted to abstract shapes and designs instead of his typical detailed murals.

He was very grateful Bunny didn't mention any of that and just painted his eggs quietly, with intense concentration on the knoll on the opposite side of the paint pools. Jack had to admit, Bunny was very fast with those eggs. For every one Jack finished, Bunny did eleven and they were all beautiful.

#####

"Wanna help deliver them?" Bunny asked as they herded the river dyed eggs towards the main tunnel room.

Jack knew he'd have to take a tunnel to leave, and as much as they still unnerved them he had been getting better with how often he's been down to the Warren. But to go in and out of them, for hours...he can't hide the shiver that runs down his spine.

Bunny's ears droop just a tad. "If you don't wanna spend Easter with me, you don't have to."

Part of Jack doesn't want to. Because just like Santa Claus the Easter Bunny forgot about him for three hundred years. Because Bunny always somehow gets under his skin and Jack is actually surprised that they haven't killed each other these past six weeks and Jack thinks that was only because Bunny was too busy to reach for his boomerangs. Because in a high stress situation, he fears Bunny will take out his frustration on an undeserving Jack. It's happened before.

But last year Bunny gave him a basket, and this year went out of his way to make sure Jack was included. He wouldn't mind spending Easter with Bunny, just not in tunnels.

"Nah, it's not like that. I just don't think me, you, and a bunch of eggs make good tunnel buddies."

"You don't like being underground, do you mate?"

"Not true." The Warren was underground, and Jack liked exploring caves, especially those cold enough for ice.

"Then just tunnels."

Jack slumped his shoulders. If his arms weren't fill with Easter baskets he'd pull his hood up to hide his face.

"I hoped you hadn't noticed."

"A bit hard not to. Want to talk about it?"

No. "Don't you have to get going?"

Bunny gave him a look that said it was only because yes, he was on a time limit, that he was dropping the conversation. Any other time, he'd press for information, Jack's feeling be damned.

"Stay with that group of eggs. They're going to Pennsylvania and know the way. Make sure they hide well okay? And don't make those baskets too hard for your believers to find. I'll come through Burgess later, to hide baskets for the other kids. See you then?"

Jack shrugged, a maybe. He was planning on spending some time in Burgess, but he didn't know if he'd be there when Bunny was. Depending on how things went, he'd might hide the baskets, help other eggs in the area hide and then return just in time for Easter Brunch. He liked spending the holidays with Jamie's family. There was less pressure and resentment than spending them with the Guardians. Or any other spirit actually.

Bunny took off towards Asia, leaving Jack to steel himself for the tunnels before following the group of eggs Bunny had pointed out.

#####

As it was, Jack found himself stranded when he reached the surface. He had stuffed his staff through the pocket of his hoodie to hold all the Easter baskets, and now had no way to fly. He had no way of getting to Burgess quickly or moving between egg groups to make sure they hid themselves properly.

"Wind?" he asked and it understood. It guided him the in direction of Burgess and then went off to monitor the eggs. Every so often, it returned for a report and Jack noted where he'd have to go once he was airborne again.

He reached Burgess just after dawn, quickly hid the Easter baskets he had so carefully carried, and then left again to reposition eggs. Up a tree was not a good hiding spot, kids wouldn't look there and even if they did it could be dangers getting there. Same for gutters. Some of the eggs had lost their legs before they could fully hide, Jack had to hide the eggs for ten towns by himself. Quickly too because in an hour he expected kids to come looking for them and finding eggs just laying in the open wasn't fun.

By the time he returned to Burgess, Jamie not only found his basket and hunted for eggs, but went to Easter service. When Jack flew in the window, Jamie was changing out of the suit he wore to church into something more comfortable but still presentable. His mother insisted on well dressed holidays.

"Happy Easter Jamie!"

"Jack!" Jamie ignored putting on a shirt to give his friend a hug, but quickly pulled away as his bare skin met frost and Jack's cold body. "Cold as always."

"Actually, I'm a little hot today." Working under a time limit was stressful, especially today. Easter this year was late, the first week of May, and if it wasn't a holiday Jack would be sleeping in a snow drift in Siberia. "Can I take a power nap in the freezer?"

"Oh course! Just let me finish changing."

Five minutes later, Jamie opened the freeze chest in the Bennet garage. There's more empty space than usually, but Jack supposed Mrs. Bennet had been emptying it out in preparation for the leftovers from dinner. Jack and Jamie unhooked wire shelf full with frozen bags of peas, strawberries, and sweet corn to rearrange the items underneath. A gallon of sherbet became Jack's pillow, a bag of chicken nuggets his teddy bear. As he settled, Jamie moved the pizza rolls and frozen chicken breasts so they didn't dig into Jack's back.

Jamie replaced the shelf with the frozen fruit and veggies, snapping it over Jack's feet. "I'll come get you in twenty?"

"Make it thirty," Jack answered because he's really tuckered out this time of year.

He heard Jamie laugh in response. "Okay Jack. Sleep well."

Jack mumbled a reply while his friend closed the lid.

#####

When Jack woke up, it was almost an hour later and it wasn't just Jamie peering at him from above. Bunny's face was there too.

"You sleep in a freezer?"

"Only sometimes." Jack stretched, waiting for Jamie to finish removing the shelf so he can get out.

"He's usually in a tree." Jamie threw out.

"That's worse! Why don't you just use the bed North has for you at the Pole?"

"The elves like to use me for wrapping practice while I sleep. I'll take my chance with the chicken."

Jamie snickered, putting the freezer back to order now that Jack was out.

The elves are only a small reason Jack prefers Jamie's freezer. Burgess is home, in a way the Pole will never be. And he always feels as if he's disturbing North when he's there, preparations for Christmas are endless. Plus, after being thrown out of the workshop for centuries, to suddenly be allowed there is weird. He's always worried something will change and he'll find himself dropped from a security tower again.

"Do you want to stay for brunch too?"

Jack wanted Bunny to say no. Holidays with Jamie's family were his thing, and his alone. Sharing them with the Guardians will change things and Jack doesn't like that. Jamie's family, though only the kids can see him, is welcoming. There is no hidden fantasy of _this is what I could have been having for years_ or thoughts like _I was only invited because I'm a Guardian now._ Jack is a part of Jamie's family because he is Jack, the boy who has a killer aim with a snowball and joke always ready to tell. It has nothing to do with being chosen by the Moon and suddenly being forced to interact with a family he finds overwhelming and intimidating at times. Or the feeling of a silent apology from said family members.

Not that he doesn't like his new family. They're just hard to be around on holidays.

But Bunny just shrugged his shoulders and said, "Why not?"

"I can't stay long this year." Jack said as Jamie led them to the backyard where his cousins are. Jamie nodded, thinking it was because of the heat, and Jack was okay with letting him think that. The less time he is here with Bunny, the less tainted this family time will feel.

"Jack!"

He laughed as five children attached themselves to his legs. One was Sophie, who on noticing Bunny quickly left to ask for a lift onto his shoulders. The others were Jamie cousins, children Jack had spent last Easter with, as well as last 4th of July.

"Hey guys!" He gave them each a hug, and by the time that was done they all noticed Bunny standing behind him.

"The Easter Bunny!"

And there it goes, Jack feels with a pang of jealously, things are changing. He's once again flooded with the feeling of being overlooked by a holiday spirit as Bunny ignored his announcement of getting food. Even Jamie didn't look up from where Bunny was making flowers bloom.

Jack grabbed a plate of food and then went to hover in a corner of the living room the adults were talking in, sitting on couches and arm rests or just standing with plates in their hands. He liked just listening to them talk. It helped him learn about conversations, but it also reminded him of gatherings when he was a child. He would be around playing with the other children, but the voices of adults would always be nearby. On occasion, one of the adults would look out the window to check on the kids, and Jack was pulled into memories of his mom doing the same.

This, this was safe and normal and familiar.

Meredith, one of Jamie's cousins from his mom's side, entered the room and judging by how she was looking up Jack knew she was looking for her. Her mom however, interpreted her appearance as a desire to talk to her. "Something up sweetie?"

"I'm looking for Jack."

Her mom looked confused. The only Jack in the room was the invisible spirit, so it wasn't a surprise. Mrs. Bennet however, was frowning. 'Jack Frost' was a common answer to many of the questions she directed to Jamie and it wasn't common for children to share invisible friends. Or for children who had real friends to have invisible ones as well. Sometimes, Jack wondered if Mrs. Bennet could at least sense him, had maybe a bit of childhood belief still in her.

Jack blew air at Meredith from behind her. She turned and smiled at him, and when he left to return to the backyard she followed, leaving her mom blinking.

"Where did you go?"

"I was starving! I had to grab something to eat."

"You could have eaten with us you know."

"Don't you like to listen in on grown up conversations?"

Meredith wrinkled her nose. "No. It's boring. I don't understand a lot."

Well, she was five.

"You will when you're my age."

"Fourteen is so far away." she sighed as they stepped outside of the house.

"What's so special about being fourteen?" Bunny asked.

"Then I'll be the same age as Jack!"

Bunny caught Jack's eye and raised an eyebrow. Age, like tunnels, was not something he wanted to talk about with Bunny. Mentioning being fourteen forever would bring up conversations of his death and going the way of the spirit and saying three hundred and two would bring up what exactly happened, or didn't happen during those years.

Jack once again got the idea that if this was any day other than Easter, Bunny would be pushing for answers.

"Where'd you go mate?"

"To get some food. It's always good. Want some?" Jack extended his plate, but Bunny wrinkled his nose.

"Vegetarian, remember?"

"Oh right, sorry." It was a throwback to being a colonist. Meat was expensive, depended on the season, and thus a rare thing to eat. Jack had piled his plate with lamb and mince pies and bacon wrapped shrimp. "There's pasta and stuff, if you want it."

"Nah, I should get going. Still have to check on the eggs in west Canada and Alaska."

"Okay then."

The children all gave Bunny a goodbye hug, but when he left through a tunnel they turned to Jack and started begging for snowflakes.

It wasn't that bad, Jack thought to himself as he flew from Burgess later that evening. Bunny might have added an different element to the holiday, but spending it with Jamie's family still made him happy. So did helping Bunny, Jack had to admit.

* * *

**A/N:** Sorry this is later than I expected! But, well, Nano. It gets in the way of everything. Reviews?


	3. Oceanography

Getting Reacquainted with the Family

_By Uniasus_

**Chapter 3 – Oceanography**

* * *

There were plenty of reasons why Jack had at first insisted the Guardians didn't want him to join them. Being not involved in holidays for three hundred years was one. So was their habit of not actually doing what Jack did – that was, interacting directly with children.

The biggest reason though might had to have been Jack's relationship with the Sandman.

Because Sandy had known Jack existed, but never once acted on the knowledge.

The first spirit Jack had ever met was Peter Pan, and they still hung out sometimes. The Sandman was the second, not that they ever really met.

It had taken a month for Jack to gather up the courage to once again visit a town, after the painful experience of being walked through by everyone. Not willing to have a repeat, he had stayed crouched up on a roof of a church for a full day, watching the people below him walk to and fro. And then night came and with it the silence and boredom so Jack stood up to leave.

His head went through something warm and golden, sand, that exploded around him only to reform into the shape of jellyfish that swam around his torso. Jack reached out a finger to touch one and found himself immediately sucked into sleep.

It was years later, after following the golden sand for quite some time, that Jack learned what it was and who it came from. The Sandman, known as Sandy to his is friends. A Guardian, like Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny, who looked over the children of Earth. Sandman brought good dreams to the children, each specially crafted for the child from the sand that was his own flesh and blood.

Which meant of course, that Sandman had always known when Jack touched the sand and was surrounded by ocean creatures, and yet had never stopped to smile or wave hello even when the winter spirit was directly under his cloud.

Jack's interaction with other spirits, or lack thereof, was always because the others didn't know he existed. He moved around, so did they, and others still were only visible on certain days of the year, so meeting up was rare and knowledge of his creation was slow to spread. But Sandman had to know he was there, if the sand really was an extension of himself, and still refused to acknowledge him.

Jack was, quite deliberately, ignored.

#####

Over the decades, Jack formed an opinion of the golden Guardian. He was an ass. He understood his job of protecting the dreams of children was very important, so important actually that anyone else who interacted with children was on a second tier and not worth his time. Expect for the other Guardians of course, because they were protectors too.

He also reminded Jack a bit of Old Man Winter, always showing off. Sandman was constantly changing his ride from stingrays to UFOs to origami cranes.

At the very least, the dream maker was always on time. Whenever Jack was bored, or knew he should sleep but could seem to calm down enough for it, he could touch the sand. About the time Old Man Winter kicked him out was when he stopped caring that Sandman never noticed him. No, that wasn't right. He just stopped trying to get Sandman's attention because he knew he'd never get it.

#####

It was shortly after the battle with Pitch, the one that still haunted Jack for many reasons, that Sandy actually noticed him.

Spring was coming in and Jack was preparing to go north for a reprieve. He knew when the time came to burrow in a snow drift, his dreams would not be pleasant so Jack had created a plan to put some dream sand in a lone left sock of Jamie's for later. Upon interrupting the golden flow, it had turned into a herd of sea horses and Jack was flying around trying to catch one without touching it, for that would send him to sleep, when a tap on his shoulder had him freeze and then slowly turn around.

Sandy was there. Looking at him.

They hadn't interacted much during the whole Pitch ideal. Tooth collecting had been fun, if brief, and Jack had been too caught up in the idea of having people to play with for once to think about all his issues with the Guardians. And then Pitch had destroyed Sandy, and yes, Jack had rushed to save him, but only because he knew that if Sandy was gone things would fall apart quickly and he would never get his memories. He hadn't actually had feeling for Sandy. Hadn't thought Tooth would catch him so gently. Even after Sandy had reformed and the Guardians had retreated to the Tooth Place to form a plan for getting the teeth capsules back, Jack didn't really talk to Sandy. It had nothing to do with the fact that Sandy didn't actually talk as with Jack purposefully doing his best to not work with anyone else and the Guardians hadn't seemed to mind.

"Oh, uh..." Jack stuttered, surprised that of all the times he had disturbed the sand flow, now was when Sandy decided to come down and address him about it. Not wanting to stay around for the tongue lashing he wouldn't be able to understand, Jack mumbled a quick apology about stealing some sand and had the wind quickly take him some place colder and in the day light.

#####

A month later, as Jack was going from one Swedish town to another looking for the perfect place to sleep, the Sandman found Jack. Swooped down right in front of him, in the daylight, with Jamie's tied up sock held out. Jack could see the golden light shining through it, it was full of more sand than Jack needed.

He stared it, not sure if Sandy was going to yell at him for his plan or not, the Guardian was just floating there blank faced. Eventually Sandy gave an elaborate, silent sigh. He grabbed Jack's wrist, brought the hand up, and plopped the sock full of sand into Jack's palm.

Jack just started at it and then up to Sandy. The little man was signing something, but getting the feeling it was too elaborate for Jack to follow eventually just formed a question mark above his head.

"Why else would I want some but for good dreams?"

Sandy made a picture of Jack slipping into a bed, and then golden sand circling about his head.

Jack found himself getting angry. So now that Jack had sworn an oath, Sandy was offering to ensure his dreams were sweet? Now that he was a Guardian, his interaction with the sand warranted Sandy's attention when all previous encounters, of either sand gathering or dream seeking or just swimming with sand sea turtles had been ignored?

The Sandman really was an ass. With a huff, Jack flew off. He didn't feel like sleeping near children, where Sandy might come across him. Jack went in look of a snow covered glacier.

#####

It was autumn the next time Jack ran into Sandy. It had been entirely unintentional. Jamie had being practicing his reading by reading out loud from a book he had gotten from the school library, Jack lying next to him listening.

One minute, Jamie was stumbling over a long word and the next, he was slumped over onto Jack's shoulder. Jack watched the golden sand over Jamie's head for a moment, he was surprised to see Phil, but then flew out the window to confront Sandy.

"I was playing with Jamie!" Jack flung out his arms in anger, certain that Sandy had put the child to sleep to irritate him. "Did you have to put him to sleep?"

Startled, Sandy gestured around him to the night sky and then flashed the image of a clock above his head showing the time.

Jack was ashamed to see it was more than an hour past Jamie's bed time. On a school night even. "Oh, I didn't realize it was that late."

He prepared to leave. With Jamie asleep, there really was no reason to be in Burgess and there were some parts of Germany that could use a frost. But Sandy stopped him with a pat next to him on his typical cloud, an invitation if Jack ever saw one.

Jack hesitated. He still didn't really like Sandy, but aside from ignoring him the dream maker had never done anything mean to him. Jack on the other hand had just yelled at him, so he supposed to apologize he could spend and hour or two in his fellow Guardian's company. He settled crossed legged on the cloud next to Sandy, staff across his legs.

Sandy, to Jack's surprise, went out of his way to include Jack in his work. He would present miniature dreams to Jack in his cupped palms, asking for the winter spirit's opinion, and after just shrugging approval at the first couple not sure why Sandy wanted his opinion Jack finally spoke up when the image Sandy presented was just absurd.

"She's on the sled backwards."

Sandy quickly corrected it and at Jack's nod sent the dream on it's way.

Jack noticed absently that not every child got a hand crafted dream, there were so many children and so little hours of night time even though the days were getting shorter. When he asked why, Sandy showed him a pictograph of a schedule and Jack figured out they were on rotation, but got at least one hand crafted dream every two weeks. It amazed Jack how Sandy could keep track of that for every child.

Sometime point during the night, Jack decided that maybe spending time with Sandy wasn't that bad. It was peaceful, and he could tell the older Guardian's winter dreams were encouraging belief in Jack. He could feel the connection he had with children strengthen.

Despite how nice the night was, Jack couldn't comply relax into it. Because maybe Sandy was only doing this because Jack had said the oath. Because maybe he was showing off his skills and effects over children. Because this one time felt like Sandy was simply humoring Jack. Because there were all those times he had been ignored.

#####

It was just after Easter, roughly a year from when Jack had sworn to be a Guardian on the frozen surface of his pond. He wasn't any place near it though, instead he was settling down in snow drift to sleep for a bit. While the wind blew snow over him to act as a blanket, Jack was surprised to see Sandy float into view.

Last spring when the Guardian had caught Jack trying to capture some dream sand, he had offered to send some Jack's way the next time he bedded down. Jack had taken the sock full of sand instead, and if Sandy did come around it was after Jack had already begun to dream.

He hadn't expected Sandy to still have the offer on the table a year later, but here he was. Just after lunch too.

Sandy brought to life a winter scene with his sand, a snowball fight that looked reminiscent to the one that ended with Jamie's tooth getting knocked out by a couch. It was obvious Sandy wanted Jack's opinion of the dream to be. So was Sandy's assurance that it would meet with Jack's approval.

Jack frowned. How many times had he interacted with Sandy's dream sand, the Guardian's very own flesh and blood that responded to each child and brought the images and knowledge back to Sandy to use for future dreams? A hundred? A thousand? How many of those times had a winter scene bloomed around him?

Not one. It was always dolphins and whales and coral reefs. The ocean had always fascinated him, and the best part of immigrating to America had been the boat ride over where he watched the dolphins swim along the bow. He had held Olivia tight between his arms as they looked over the rails.

Sandy should know this.

"Because I'm a winter spirit, I dream of snow all the time right?"

Sandy frowned at the sarcasm. He destroyed the hand sculpted dream and sent plain old dream sand at Jack's head. As soon as it connected, something flashed on the Sandman's face but Jack ignored it. He was too busy swimming with manatees.

#####

When Bunny and Sandman together came to see Jack, it was high summer in the Northen Hemisphere. He was cooling off in south tip of Chile, having used the blanket North gave him almost two and a half years ago to cross the Equator. It was a surprise to see them, Bunny especially since he didn't like snow. This had to be serious.

"What's up guys?" Jack assumed there was some type of Guardian mission to do, but by the way Bunny and Sandy looked at each other this meeting was a bit more personal. They had been talking about him behind his back. Jack wondered if North and Tooth did the same thing.

"I wanted to ask, what did that little shelia mean at Easter? About you being fourteen?"

"Well, if we want to be really technical, I'm three hundred and sixteen." He had three hundred and two years of memories as as spirit, and fourteen as human. Well, most of those fourteen years. Teeth were too small to fit all of a childhood's memories. And Jack had been one of those slow to develop kids; he was born late, didn't walk till almost two years, and didn't say his first word till he was almost three. He was slow to loose all of his teeth. In fact, his tooth capsule would forever have one empty space.

"Why did you tell the kids you're fourteen?"

"Cuz that's how old I was when the Moon chose me."

They both looked a little shocked at the answer. Jack rolled his eyes at them. "It's not that young. I was already an apprentice. And I know other spirits who became so at a younger age." Peter Pan, for one. Jack had never out right asked, but he figured his friend hadn't been more than ten when he turned into a spirit.

Sandy created a little model of Jamie that Jack didn't understand until Bunny translated. "Why does Jamie think you'll be fourteen forever?"

Jack crossed his arms with a huff. "You brought Jamie into this?"

"Figured you wouldn't give us the answers we'd want on your own."

Huh. Somewhere in the past two years, they've actually learned a bit about him.

"Jack, why does Jamie think that?"

"What, you two telling me spirits age?"

Bunny shrugged. "Well, yeah. Very slowly. When North started out, he still had a few wisps of hair on his head. Tooth's feathers are changing color as she ages. And my fur might cover most of it, but my arms are getting a bit floppy."

"And Sandy?" Jack asked, pointing towards the golden Guardian with a jerk of his chin.

Sandy answered by bursting apart and reforming.

"Right," Jack said, "Different rules if you're not actually organic."

"Why does Jamie think you'll be fourteen forever?" Bunny insisted.

"Bunny, look at me." Jack ran his hands up and down his body. "In the three hundred some years I've been a spirit, I haven't aged a single bit."

"At all?"

"Nope."

"That's not right. I mean, when we were chosen and made into Guardians we were essentially given immortal life, dependin' on the kids belief in us. We didn't get, get put into a stasis or anything."

Sandy tugged on Bunny's paw and said something that Jack assumed related to their previous conversation about him. Jack got the distinct impression Sandy wanted to do some type of experiment. He was instantly wary. Whatever hypothesis Sandy wanted to check, Bunny seemed to agree with it if the slope of his shoulders was anything to go by.

The two Guardians both turned back to Jack.

"Can we try something?"

"Like a new food? I'm game."

"Be serious Jack. Just, touch Sandy's sand."

Jack raised an eyebrow at the request and kept it there as Sandy sent over a tendril of sand to circle him. When Jack made no move to touch it, Sandy made a pleading gesture and he gave in. Using his index finger, Jack touched the sand and it swirled into a sea otter that began to dance around his head.

Jack smiled at it. He couldn't resist the desire to touch it, to join it in play, and when he did sleep overtook him.

#####

He woke up twenty minutes later, feeling refreshed. That is until Bunny's face was in his view.

"What gives?"

"You...died. Didn't you? Or were in the process of it, when you were chosen."

Jack froze. Sandy was floating behind Bunny, it was obvious they had come to some conclusion about him while he had been dreaming. But Jack did not want to talk about it. Because dying is never pleasant. Because it stole his memories. Because being technically dead was one more thing that made him the black sheep of this new family.

Bunny continued. "That's why you don't age. You weren't just turned into a Guardian, like us. You were turned into a spirit first and that was only possible because your time as a human ended."

Jack ground his teeth, not at all ready to talk about it. Sure, being dead did not bother him. The process of dying and it's consequences were a different story. Something in his face told Bunny he was right.

"Sandy's been thinking," the furred Guardian gestured to his friend, "why his ideas of your dreams are wrong. Jack...you don't interact with his sand like a spirit."

He blinked at that, confused. "I don't?"

Sandy nodded and floated forward. Jack couldn't fully understand him, but got the gist of an apology. Still, he turned to Bunny for a translation since this conversation essentially seemed to be to bring him up to speed on something the other two already came to understand.

"When you touch the dream sand, Sandy says it's just like a child interacting with it. He was never able to distinguish you from all the other children he gave dreams to."

Oh. Oh! Oh.

Jack found he couldn't look into either of their eyes. "So you thought I was a normal child in a bed, every time I touched the dream sand? I always thought, I always thought you were ignoring me on purpose."

Sandy flew into Jack's space, lifting his chin to look into his eyes and very obviously shake his head no before wrapping his arms around Jack's shoulders. Hesitantly, Jack hugged Sandy back. When he looked up at Bunny, the holiday spirit was standing a bit away from them, expression torn. Jack's relationship with Sandy may had been built on a misunderstanding, but there was no denying the fact that until two years ago Bunny had deliberately not given Jack a basket. Just has North had not given him a gift. And now they knew that Jack was forever a child who would have benefited from a bit of light.

Slowly though, Jack was learning to overlook such hurts. That's what families did, forgive each other, without ever letting the others forget past deeds be they guilt ridden or embarrassing. Jack silently beckoned Bunny over, and while the Guardian at first seemed hesitant he gave in and wrapped Jack and Sandy into a warm but brief hug.


	4. Favorite

Getting Reacquainted with the Family

_By Uniasus_

**Chapter 4 - Favorite**

* * *

Of all the Guardians, Jack liked Tooth the best.

He had learned of her last, for conversations about her were fleeting between children. In fact, it was the fairies and mice that tipped him off. He had watched them first, entering rooms with quarters on their hips and exiting without the coin but instead a tooth. It was only after Jack witnessed a father pull out his daughter's tooth and instruct he to put it under her pillow for the Tooth Fairy did Jack understood. He learned she was a Guardian not long after that.

The little fairies and mice in Europe ignored Jack most of the time. Well, ignored as in didn't interact with him. But they frequently rolled their eyes in his direction or buzzed at him in their language when he got in their way.

They were the first creatures he interacted with on a semi-regular basis, for someone somewhere always had a tooth under the pillow and so there was always a fairy for Jack to at least talk at. In fact, trying to communicate with the mice had been the whole reason he spent a year in France to immerse himself in French. He was quite good at the language now, and the mice had appreciated it his efforts even if they didn't have the time to talk.

That was the thing about collecting teeth. It was an understaffed, underpaid job so the Tooth Fairy's helpers rarely had the choice in stopping for a chat or two even if they wanted. But those rolled eyes and occasional smiles meant everything to Jack.

It was okay that he never saw the Guardian fairy, Jack knew she never left her hub in India. She wasn't ignoring him, she simply had no reason to visit him. Jack might still have one baby tooth left, but he was never going to loose it now.

He didn't really have an opinion about her for three hundred years. She just existed. It was much better than his thoughts towards her fellow Guardians during that time.

#####

When Jack first saw Tooth, in the Globe room after being stuffed in a sack, he had been flattered by the attention she gave his teeth. She had heard of him! Mostly likely from the fairies, and that made him feel good. Jack was a spirit that the little fairies found interesting enough to talk to their mom about.

Tooth, perhaps, was a future friend. Even more so when they had fun collecting teeth and she thanked him in Jamie's room for helping out.

And then the next night happened, with Pitch and the tunnels and broken eggs. Tooth, who had so much potential in Jack's mind, suddenly was demoted. She saw the tooth capsule in his hand, the absence of Baby Tooth, and jumped to the conclusion that Jack had not only been with Pitch, but had been with the Boogieman for selfish desires and had no qualms about trading a life for an object.

After all of her fanning over his teeth, Jack felt betrayed. Which was odd, because it wasn't like they actually had a relationship or any type of bond that could be hurt. It was more, Jack thought as he flew away, that the future he had built up in his head involving the two of them shattered when he realized how quick she was to think the worse of him. What type of reputation did he have, what had the fairies and mice told her, that made her think he was capable of such things?

#####

Jack hadn't approached any of the Guardians in months after the battle with Pitch. Bound by the call of the Moon they might be, a close group of four forced to interact with a fifth. Sometimes, Jack felt like the bastard child, who only reminded the rest of the family of the sins of his parents. Or just the evil nature of being a bastard, because why else would he had screwed up so much last spring?

Still, he knew in his heart he was a Guardian and had proof now he could actually do it. It was just interacting with his new family, spirits he would not have chosen, that grated.

But sometimes, they surprised him.

Well, Tooth did.

She had set up more field time, rekindling her love of seeing the children up close. One night a month, she visited a different continent. When Jack spotted her one evening in Eastern Europe, he prepared to leave because why would she want to talk to him, when she called him over.

"Jack!" She waved happily to him from outside an third story window. Hesitantly, he waved back.

He was swarmed with fairies, attracted like magnets to his teeth, but Tooth brushed them off. She gave him a small smile. "Sorry about them, but they like you. You came back for them you know, and Baby Tooth told the story about what you did for her."

"Yeah well, can't screw up all the time. I've got some good in me."

Tooth flinched and reached out to take his hand in hers, the other gripping his staff tightly. "Jack, I know you're good. Manny wouldn't have chosen you if you weren't. And you were brilliant last Easter. I've actually been hoping to run into you every time I've left the Palace. Jack, I'm sorry. Sorry for doubting you, for not giving you a time to explain on Easter morning. And sorry you had to wait months to hear that."

Jack floated there blinking at her. "You mean it?" His voice was a whisper.

"Of course." She smiled, eyes crinkling as she bobbed up for a moment. "Help me with the teeth? I have thirty seven more in this country and then another one thousand six hundred and four to get here in Europe before sunrise."

Jack hesitated. Because how was he to know Tooth wasn't a fair weather friend and would turn on him later. Because he'd never actually had some one apologize to him and had no idea how to accept it.

Tooth's smile fell. "Please Jack?" Several fairies chirped at him, eager to spend an evening with him.

"Sure." He said, knowing that was the answer she was looking for and when her smile returned Jack knew it was a good move. In fact, the entire night was good.

#####

"Baby Tooth, you need to come out of there."

Jack couldn't see the small fairy, but he could feel her head shake no. Jack was flattered, he really was, that Baby Tooth was so enamored with him and his teeth. But zooming inside his mouth while he was talking to Tooth and refusing to get up from her position on his tongue was where he drew the line. He was too scared to do anything with his mouth – talk, close it, swallow, or breathe.

"Dear, you can't live in his mouth."

Baby Tooth said something to the contrary.

Jack mimed with his hands, hoping Tooth would understand to relay the message but she didn't understand.

"We can't hear his beautiful voice if you stay there, Baby Tooth." However, it was obvious that she could see his teeth and all the fairies in the Tooth Palace, the boss as well, weren't upset about a constant view.

Baby Tooth didn't care about his voice.

"He also won't be able to floss or brush if you're in his mouth."

That shocked her right out. Jack quickly closed his mouth and vowed to speak between his teeth for the entire time they were at North's New Year's party. Not that he would be staying long. Since he had spent Christmas with Jamie, North had wrangled a New Years Party attendance from him. Hundreds of spirits would be there. Jack had flown by Tooth's place, hoping to arrive with her because, well, at the moment she was the only spirit he was on good terms with. He knew with her flighty nature and socializing spirit he wouldn't be able to hang with her for long. Jack was giving himself a goal of staying for half an hour before taking off to partake in his usual New Years traditions. It would be hard to achieve that.

"Ready to go Jack?" Tooth asked and he held out a finger to tell her to hold on a moment. There was something in his mouth...

He pulled up his hood to do his best in hiding his teeth, it didn't work if the sighs were anything to go by, while he put a few fingers in his mouth. When he pulled them out, there were a few feathers between them.

"I'll get you floss and a toothbrush. We'll leave when you're done."

Jack nodded, giving her a toothless smile. She smiled as she went to gather the cleaning supplies.

#####

Jack was playing video games with Jamie, noise muted to hid the fact he was still up from the kid's parents. The child's ability to coax out Jack's problems had him venting about Bunny's efforts to get him to help with Easter and his desire to go no where near the holiday Guardian.

There was a tap on the window and both boys looked up to see Tooth hovering outside, smiling from the other side of the glass. Jack expected her to invite him to go tooth collecting, but she flew off. Jack didn't really mind. She may be his favorite spirit, but Jamie was his favorite person. Best friend too, despite the age difference.

Jamie beat him, as usual. Jack had a problem with the controllers, his frost got in the way of effective button mashing.

"I repeat, you should ask North to give you one of those consuls where you don't have to use a controller."

"Way ahead of you. I asked for one for my birthday, and that's sooner."

"Smart boy."

Jamie smiled at him, but it quickly turned into a yawn. It was Friday night, so Jack didn't feel that bad about keeping his friend up past his bedtime, but Jamie still needed his rest. "Go to bed." He nudged his friend and Jamie wearily stood up.

"Night Jack."

"Goodnight Jamie."

Jack waited until the kid was tugged under the covers and on the way to sleep before slipping out of the room. Maybe Tooth was still in the area.

A fairy returning to the Tooth Palace pointed southeast and Jack got the idea she had already moved on to the next place.

"Wind! Take me to Tooth!" It rushed around him and took him south, farther than Burgess he had expected. Had it really taken that long to finish the race with Jamie or was Tooth just super fast that night?

He announced his presence by snagging a tooth from her fingers and handing it over to Baby Tooth who had swarmed up as soon as he entered the town.

"Jack! How's Jamie?"

"Doing well."

"I..."she paused, and Jack got the feeling she was going to bring up something serious. "You were talking to him about Bunny."

"So? Easter is just around the corner."

But by the way her face looked, he knew she had heard a bit of the conversation. About his plan to avoid Bunny so the other Guardian couldn't personally ask for his help and why Jack was so uncomfortable with thoughts of the Warren, Easter and tunnels this year. He tensed, expecting her to broach the topic and push at something he didn't want to talk about, but once again she surprised him.

"You know, if you ever want to talk to someone other than Jamie, I'll listen."

He wanted to make some type of humorous comment, like how could she hear him over the racket of fairy wings at the Palace, or when does she have a free night but they all sound flat in his mind. Because she had stopped by Jamie's window purposefully to see if Jack was there. Because she had apologized. Because Jack knew she was serious.

"I know." He said instead. But that didn't mean he'd take her up on the offer anytime soon. Because it was her, and his too now, family that he had issues with. Because Jamie listened more where Tooth was a creature of fast paced words. Because India was hot and he didn't want to disturb Tooth's work.

Jack realized though all those 'becauses' were excuses. They were all true, but the heart of the matter was that although Tooth was his favorite Guardian he was still not solid in his relationship with her. Talking about anything serious with her made him comfortable.

#####

It's after his first Easter helping Bunny and creeping towards the middle of summer when Tooth finds him in Florida. Normally, Jack would not be anywhere near this area in the summer but it's Jamie's birthday and he had promised his friend a visit. Maybe a frost creature or two, but he's not too sure how long they'll last.

As is typical when Jack was out in the summer, he was sleepy and worn out, more likely to be less guarded in his speech. In hindsight, Jack wondered if that was why Tooth chose that day to breach the subject or if it had just been a coincidence it was that day and time.

"Jack," she said, startling him from his position on a roof. Jamie had given him the address for the summer house his parents were renting for the week, but it was a bit difficult for him to find the place. He had to steel himself to look at the street signs, the sidewalk and asphalt they were all over radiated heat despite the twilight hour.

"Tooth! Isn't it a little early to be out?"

"I was on my way to Argentina. What are you doing here without your blanket?"

"I left it at Jamie's house, and unlike your fairies I can't phase through windows. It's locked in the house while he's family is here for the week."

"Oh." She gave a little laugh. "Did you come for the key then?"

"Actually, no. Today is Jamie's birthday. I told him I'd stop by. Should have put it off for an hour though."

"Jack," he could feel the hesitance in her voice, but he dismissed it to look at the piece of paper in his hands. Was that Sunnydale or Lamble Street? Jamie really needed to work on his handwriting.

"Yeah Tooth?"

"Why do you, well, not like holidays?"

He choked. The other Guardians totally talked about him with each other. But well, he did the same with Jamie.

"I love holidays! Columbus Day is great. So's Cinco de Mayo. It's hilarious watching people then."

"What about St. Patrick's Day?"

"Nah, not as fun."

Tooth flew over to him and forced him to put his hands, and thus the address down, to look at her. "Jack, St. Patrick's Day and Cinco de Mayo are pretty much the same thing. Why is one better than the other?"

He pursed his lips at her, tempted to fly off but his hands are trapped in hers and his staff was lying untouched next to his feet.

"Jack? Does this have to do...do with us?"

"What do you have to do with either of those holidays?"

"Not me in particular, but us as in spirits. You thought, you thought Sandy had been ignoring you for centuries, did you think the same of other holiday spirits?"

It was only because he had recently opened to Bunny and Sandy about him thinking the Sandman had been an ass that Jack decided to be just as honest with Tooth. She was his favorite. It was only fair.

"Most of them." He admitted, dropping his gaze to her hands around his wrists. "I've met most of the North American and European spirits, but never was invited to any type of festivities or involved in any way. Pat never offered me a drink or an invitation, Cupid out right snubbed me. Mother Nature's not bad, but she never does anything for any of the days dedicated to her. Halloween's cool, all the local spooky spirits know how to have a good time, that's my favorite one. But well, Tooth, I never got a Christmas present or Easter basket my entire spirit life until after I was sworn as a Guardian."

"Oh Jack." Tooth pulled him into a hug and Jack found himself desperately returning it. "Do you like holidays now?" she asked softly to the side of his head.

"A bit more. You guys helped with that. A lot. And not just because of the gifts. It's..."

"It's what, Jack?"

"Family." He whispered, tightening his hug just a bit but careful of Tooth's wings. "Holidays are always about family, whether it's Christmas dinner or a long weekend at a cabin for Labor Day or family reunions over Fourth of July. Seeing families together, and not remembering mine...and then the people who could see me and could interact with me didn't want to...it hurt Tooth. It still does. Peter and Mother Nature and Old Man Winter help, but they are usual.y scarce for the holidays. Peter is always in Neverland and Mother Nature never leaves her home and Winter's so old he doesn't bother with calenders and never observes any of them.

"But now North has me helping on Christmas with snow and Bunny has me weaving baskets and it's better. A lot better."

"And you leaving early every New Year's party? Why do you do that?"

"Tooth, I'm a social recluse. There's too many people. I don't know how to talk to people at a party. I don't even know what to talk about with you half the time. But you talk a lot, so that's good."

"Oh Jack." She held him tighter and he could feel her tears on his neck. The hug was long, long enough that Tooth will have to work extra fast tonight but Jack could tell by her reluctance to let go she didn't mind.

Eventually though, she had to pull back. "You need to say happy birthday to Jamie, and I'm sure my fairies are wondering where I am. But Jack, what would you say to a holiday gathering just us Guardians? Just our family? Something small so you don't have to be overwhelmed and one that doesn't have a spirit associated with it?"

"That'd be awesome."

"Thanksgiving then?"

"Sounds good." Because Thanksgiving about sharing and hospitality, about family. Nowadays, it might involve football and looking through store flyers, but Jack remembered celebrating it when he was alive and the simple nature of being surrounded by family and a full stomach. He would have to tell Jamie he couldn't make it that year, but since Jack spent every other holiday with is friend he didn't think the elementary student would mind.

"Can I host?"

Tooth blinked at him. "Do you have the ability to do that?"

"Um...no actually." His home was Burgess and more often than not his house was Jamie's. He couldn't very well use Mrs. Bennet's kitchen. She already reacted a bit to Jack's presence, a ghost using the oven wouldn't help. But North's place was for Christmas and New Years and Bunny's was for Easter. They wouldn't work for Thanksgiving.

"Maybe Sandy can host? And I'll cook?"

"You cook?"

"Haven't for three hundred some years, but I did at all the time before. Mom and Olivia couldn't do everything themselves."

"I think Sandy would love to. I'm looking forward it."

Tooth gave him a kiss on the forehead before flying south in a blur of wings.

Jack watched her go, feeling more content than he had in a while. Tooth cared, as did the other Guardians. It was a rough family, slowly coming together after years of bad blood and thoughts. But they were working on it, just like Jack's family had struggled after coming to America and then losing Benjamin Overland the second winter. They had centuries to come together as a unit, it didn't have to be fast. Jack was just happy to have a family at all again.

* * *

**A/N:** Thanks guys so much for following along with this story! Enjoy your turkey!


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